Buhari welcomes Italy’s support to recover, repatriate stolen assets

•Reposes confidence in military, police to contain insecurity
•Condemns Sokoto attacks, vows prosecution of perpetrators of violence
•Air Force destroys B’Haram command post, kills several in Borno

President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the support of the Italian government to help recover and repatriate illegally deposited Nigerian assets in foreign nations.

He spoke when he received a delegation from the Italian Parliament led by Senator Vito Petrocelli, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Stefano Pontesilli, who accompanied the delegation, informed the Nigerian leader that ‘’we are willing to cooperate with your administration 100 per cent on illicit assets repatriation.’’

The president commended the Italian government for demonstrating ‘’open-mindedness and willingness to cooperate with Nigeria on the issue of repatriation of stolen funds.”

Buhari promised the delegation that his second term in office would consolidate on the progress recorded in the last four years.

A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the president also pleaded with developed countries to revive the Lake Chad.

Buhari thanked the Italian government for its policy of accommodating displaced persons, particularly African refugees.

Earlier, Petrocelli told the nation’s first citizen that the delegation, which included a Nigerian/ vice chairman of the committee as well the first African to be elected into the European nation’s legislature, Senator Tony Chike Iwobi, was in the country to witness the June 12 Democracy Day celebration.

Meanwhile, the president has expressed confidence in the capacity of the nation’s security agencies to secure the country and its people.

Responding to concerns raised by a team of Zamfara Advocacy Group, comprising wife of Kaduna State governor and renowned journalist Kadaria Ahmed yesterday during a meeting at the State House, Buhari stated that the military and the police had been taking drastic measures to check the activities of criminal elements.

The president, who lauded Governor Bello Matawalle for being proactive in addressing the security challenges in the state, urged traditional rulers to go back to their cultural roles.

Besides, the president has mourned the scores killed by bandits at the weekend in three communities of Rabah council area in Sokoto State.

Receiving briefing on the incident and the arrests made so far by the police, he condoled with Governor Aminu Tambuwal and the people over the tragic incident.

Also yesterday, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dome destroyed a major tactical command centre of the Boko Haram sect, neutralising several of them.

The information was cointained in a statement by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.